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The model puts the risk in the months of November and December of basketball – a long-standing desire of the commissioner of the NBA. Adam Silver – concludes this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the T-Mobile Arena.
All 30 NBA awards were placed among six divisions of five teams at the start of the season based on the previous year’s statistics for the In-Season Tournament (IST).
As in European football tournaments, teams competed in a “Group Stage”, with the winners and two “wild cards” advancing to the “Knockout Round, ” to begin with the quarter finals that began on December 4. After the dust settled, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers emerged as the last two teams and are now ready to compete in the first NBA Cup scheduled for Saturday.
The idea behind the tournament is to create a system that keeps the athletes competitive and keeps the fans engaged.
The league also revealed 30 new court plan for the occasion, with the national teams sporting their new “City Edition” kits.
“We want In-Season Tournament games to jump off the screen and immediately grab the fans and feel like the strong colors of the court accomplished that,” said Chris Arena, head coach. The NBA is a partnership on the court, according to reporters.
The league is nearing the end of a nine-year, $24 billion media rights deal with ESPN and Turner Sports (now known as TNT Sports) – TNT Sports is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, like CNN – and another transaction is. planned be worth more than double that amount.
However, in the past few years, the signs for the league have been there anti-climactic, flat on ABC, ESPN and TNT Sports.
Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo drives to the basket against the Pacers.
For the 2022-23 season, no skin for the regular season and for the NBA Finals, which dropped to 6% from 2022.
As for IST’s “Group Play” stage, there was an average of 1.5 million viewersa 26% increase in games watched on ESPN and TNT compared to November games from last season.
Local television saw a 20% increase in content perspective and the time to watch the League Pass increased by 25%, compared to all November days from last year.
The NBA App, along with the league’s social media channels, had its best November so far, with an estimated 3.9 billion video views.
TNT’s broadcast of the quarterfinal game between the Phoenix Suns and the Lakers saw an 89% increase compared to the previous window. past, about 1.97 million views.
In addition, many people are physically active in sports. The average attendance of the league in November marked the highest number recorded for the month, at 18,206 people.
Meanwhile, players who were once skeptical are now motivated and eager to take home the new NBA Trophy.
“In the beginning, we didn’t really know what it was, but we just knew that money was on the line,” Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard told reporters. before his team’s match against the New York Knicks.
“And, over time, I think everyone just owns it more and more, and now, it’s turned into real entertainment, real competitive basketball. We are playing for something.”
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Pacers players Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton are looking to win the NBA Cup and $500,000 on Saturday.
The members of the Quarterfinals received $50,000 and the players of the team that bowed in the semifinals received $100,000 for their appearance.
The losers of Saturday’s final will receive $200,000 each, while the winners will receive a team trophy, individual medals with individual discrimination. $500,000 for winning the title.
IST has also helped minor league players from teams with low visibility, such as Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Haliburton has stood out during the tournament for his play and continued to shine in the Pacers’ surprise 128-119 semifinal victory on Thursday night. .
Haliburton, unbeaten for the second straight game, finished with 27 points and 15 assists in the win that earned a berth in the championship game. the IST on Saturday.
“(The) In-Season Tournament has already created some traditional NBA moments and national playoff windows,” Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic . displayed on XTwitter first.
NBA information Rob Perez also published on X: “The Pacers were scheduled for 1 national tv game (ABC / TNT / ESPN) this season before their IST. Haliburton + is the franchise that receives the most awards they not available without this benefit.
What started out as a strange experiment to many players in the league and to fans around the world, IST has turned out to be possible. then it will be there for many years to come and the stars and the audience will all go.
The league spent a lot of time, brain power and money on the development of IST and the gamble seems to have paid off.
The NBA Finals will air at 8:30pm ET on ABC and ESPN2 on Saturday.